Tractor-mower structure



Jun 1941- H. w. SIMPSON TRACTOR-MOWER STRUCTURE Original Filed Oct. 30,1939 I5 Sheets-Sheet l av a n Bu INVENTOR.

HOWARD w. SIMPSON BY I 1 ATTORNEZJS June 10, 1941. Hf w SIMPSON2,245,450

' TRACTOR-MOWER STRUCTURE Original Filed Oct. 30, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2I NV EN TOR.

June 10, 1941. H. w..v SIMPSON 2,245,450

' TRACTOR-M0WER STRUCTURE I Original Filed Oct. 30, 1959 s Sheets-Sheet3 INVENTOR.

. HOWARD w. sm sou A TTORN E Y5 iterated June 10, 1941 Howard W.Simpson, Dearborn, Mich-.', assignor'to Detroit Harvester Company,Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Original application October30, 1939, Serial No.

1940, Serial No. 322,250

' 16 Claims, (on. 56-2 This invention relatesgenerally to tractormowerstructures and'constitutes a division of .my application filed October30, 1939, hearing Serial No. 302,043. v

One of the essential objects of the invention is to provide an improvedmounting for the cutter bar of i the mower assembly;

Another object is to provide a mounting that greatly facilitatesattachment of the cutter bar to and removalfrom its'supporting means.-

Another object is to provide a mounting that' cooperates with a portionof its supporting'ineans to form a bearing housing for a part of thedriving means for the sickle carried by the cutter bar.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of thisinvention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds,especially when considered in connection with the accom panyingdrawings, wherein;

Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section showing the tractor-mowerassembly; I

Figure 2 is atop plan view with parts'broken away of the same tractormower;

Figure 3 is a front elevation' of the tractormower;

Figure 4 is a vertical bearing and crank shaft assembly; 7 Figure isa'perspective view of the mower structure;

section through the hinge Divided and this application March 4,

angles to each other-and'arepivotally connected to the bracket 22; Inthe present instance the bar extends across the front of the main frame,while the bar 2| extends longitudinally of said frame. To provide aneificient structure,

one end of the bar 20 has a universal mounting 26, while the other endportion 21 thereof extends through the bracket 22. The bar 2| has an eye28 receiving the end portion 21 of the transverse bar 20 and extendsfreely through an enlarged opening 30 in a supporting bracket 3| fixedto themain frame l2 substantially midway between the front and rear axlehousings l3 and I4. Thus, both bars 20 and 21 and the bracket 22 as aunit may swing upwardly and may swing rearwardly about'the universalmounting 26 as the pivot point.

Normally the mower assembly B is held in forward cutting position by acoiled spring 32- sleeved on the bar 2| between a collar 33 on saidbarand the bracket 3|. A second collar 34 on the bar 2| in rear of thebracket 3| limits the forward movement 'ofthe bar 2|. Upon abnormalstrain being exerted, such as would be caused by the mower assemblyencountering an obstruction orobstacle, the mower assembly B will swingrearwardly about pivot point 26. In doing Figure 6 is a sectional viewtaken onthe line I 6-6 of Figure 4. I

Referring to the drawings, A is the tractor,

and B is the mower assembly of a tractor-mower structure embodying myinvention. As shown,

the tractor A is of theicrawle'r type and has laterally spaced' endlesstracks I0 mounted on suitable track frames II. The main frame l2 0! thetractor is between the track frames II and is supported therefrom by afront axle housing l3 and a rear axle housing 14. Carried by the mainframe l2 at its forward end is an internal combustion engine or motor l5that is operatively connected to the endless tracks ID to drive thetractor forwardly or -rearwardly, and that is provided at the rear endof the main frame with a power take-01f shaft l6.

As usual, the tractor A has a suitable steering so, the bar 2| willslide rearwardly against the tension of the spring 32.

The inner shoe 23 is rigidly secured to the cutter bar 24 at its innerend and is pivotally connected at 40 to the bracket 22. Any. suitablemeans such as the lever 4| and cable 42 may be used to swing the mowerbar 24 and shoe 23 upwardly about the pivot 40. Likewise, any suitablemeans such a the adjustable collar 43 on the rod 2|, lever 44 andintermediate rod 45 may be used to tilt the mower bar 24 and shoe 23about the axis of the end portion 21 of. the bar 2|. I

For driving the sickle 25 I have provided a countershaft 50, propellershaft 5|, crank shaft 51 is-trained. 58 and'59, respectively, areuniversal connections'between the countershaft '52 and pitman 53.

Non-rotatively mounted on the power take off shaft 16 and countershaft50 are pulleys and 56. over which a drive belt and proprllereshaft 5|andbetween the latter brake controllever I1 and gear shift lever l8;

The mower assembly B is supported by two rods or bars 20 and 2|,respectively, and a hinge bracket 22 for vertical swingingmovementrelative to the tractor, and comprises an inner shoe 23, cutterbar 24 and sickle 25. Preferably the bars 20 and 2| are disposed atsubstantially right and the crank shaft 52. As usual, the pitman 53 isterminally connected to the crank 60 of the shaft 52 and to the sickle25.

In the present instance there is a split hinge bearing or sleeve 10between the bracket 22 and the inner shoe 23 of the mower assembly. Asshown, the upper portion H of the inner shoe has the spaced portions 15and 16 of the bracket 22.

Thus, the half round portions 12 and 13 cooperate with the spacedportions I and 1B of the casting to provide a housing for the bearingsfor the shaft 52.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the mower assembly B may beeasily and quick-' 1y removed from the supporting bracket 22 by simplydetaching the cap 14' from the upper portion ll of the inner shoe anddisconnecting the pitman :53 from the crank 60 and removing the pivot 40from the bracket 22. As a result, the structure set forth provides readyassociation and disassociation of the mower assembly B with the tractorA.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a mowing machine, a mower shoe, 8. supporting hinge bracket forthe shoe having laterally spaced portions, a crank shaft, journaled insaid laterally spaced portions, a sleeve on the shaft having oppositeends thereof extending within the laterally spaced portions of thebracket, bearings for the shaft within the sleeve at opposite endsthereof, and a detachable pivotal connection between the shoe andbracket including a sectional bearing on the sleeve between thelaterally spaced portions of the bracket, one section of the bearingbeing rigid with the shoe.

2. In a mowing machine, a mower shoe, a supporting hinge bracket for theshoe having laterally spaced portions, a crank shaft journaled in saidlaterally spaced portions, a sleeve on the shaft having opposite endsthereof extending within the laterally spaced portions of the bracket,bearings for the shaft within the sleeve at opposite ends thereof, and adetachable pivotal connection between the shoe and bracket driving thecutter bar, a supporting bracket, bearings for the crank shaft in saidbracket, a sleeve for said bearings in said bracket, and a sectionalbearing on said sleeve; one section being an extension of said shoe.

6. In a mowing machine, a cutter bar, a crank shaft for driving thecutter bar a supporting bracket, a bearing for the crank shaft in saidbracket, a sleeve for said bearingin said bracket, and a mower shoesupporting said cutter bar and having cooperating portions forming asectional bearing on said sleeve.

'7. In a mowing machine, a supporting bracket having laterally spacedportions, a crank shaft journaled in the'laterally spaced portions ofsaid bracket, a cutter bar operatively connected to said crank shaft soas to be driven thereby, and a mower shoe supporting said cutter bar andhaving cooperating portions forming a sectional bearing sleeve .on saidcrank shaft between the laterally spaced portions of said bracket.

v 8. In a mowing machine, a cutter bar, a crank shaft operativelyconnected to the cutter bar, bearings for said crank shaft, and ahousing for the bearings including a sleeve thereon, a supportingbracket having laterally spaced portions encircling the sleeve, anda'mower shoe-supporting the cutter bar and. having detachableporcooperating with the laterally spaced portions of the bracket to forma housing for the sleeve and bearings and including a sectional bearingon the sleeve between the laterally spaced portions of the bracket, onesection of the bearing being rigid with the shoe.

3. In a mowing machine, a tractor, a mower shoe adjacent the tractor, acutter, bar carried by the shoe, means for driving the cutter bar fromthe tractor including a crank shaft, a sleeve for the crank shaft, and ahousing for said sleeve including a bracket having laterally spacedportions encircling the sleeve and supported from the tractor, and asectional bearing on the sleeve between said laterally spaced portions,one section of said bearing being connected to said shoe.

4. In a mowing machine, a mower shoe, a cutter bar carried by said shoe,a crank shaft for driving the cutter bar, a sleeve for the crank shaft,and a housing for said sleeve including a supporting bracket havinglaterally spaced portions encircling the sleeve, and a sectional bearingon the sleeve between said laterally spaced portions, one section ofsaid bearing being an extension of said shoe.

5. In a mowing machine, a mower shoe, a cutter bar carried by said shoe,a crank shaft for tions forming a sectional bearing sleeve on the sleeveaforesaid betweeh the laterally spaced portions of said bracket.

9. In a mowing machine, a cutter bar, a crank shaft operativelyconnected to the cutter bar, bearings for said crank shaft, and ahousing for the bearings including a supporting bracket having laterallyspaced portions e'ncirling the bearings, and a mower shoe supporting thecutter bar and having detachable portions forming a sectional sleeve onthe bearings between the laterally spaced portions of said bracket.

10. In a mowing machine, a mower shoe, a supporting hinge bracket forthe shoe having laterally spaced portions, a crank shaft journaledinsaid laterally spaced portions, bearings for the shaft within thelaterally spaced portions of the bracket, and a detachable pivotalconnection between the shoe and bracket including a sectional bearing onthe shaft between the laterally spaced portions of the bracket, onesgotion of the bearing being an extension of the s 0e.

11. In a mowing machine, a tractor, a mower assembly adjacent thetractor and including a cutter bar and a supporting shoe therefor, meansfor driving the cutter bar from the tractor in-- cluding a crank shaft,and a housing for the crank shaft including a bracket and a cooperatingsleeve, the bracket being supported from the tractor and havinglaterally spaced portions encircling the shaft, and the sleeveencircling the shaft between the laterally spaced portions and havingtwo sections, one section of the sleeve being a part of the shoe.

12. In a mowing machine, a mower shoe, a supporting bracket for the shoehaving laterally spaced portions, 2. drive shaft journaled in saidlaterally spaced portions, a sleeve on the shaft extending between thelaterally spaced portions of the bracket, and a detachable pivotalconnection between the shoe and bracket including a sectional bearing onthe sleeve between the laterally spaced portions of the bracket, onesection of the bearing being rigid with the shoe.

13. In amowing machine, a mower shoe, a supporting bracket for the shoehaving laterally spaced portions, 9. drive shaft journaled in saidlaterally spaced portions, a. sleeve on' the shaft extending between thelaterally spaced portions of the bracket, and a detachable pivotalconnection between the shoe and bracket cooperating with the laterallyspaced portions of the bracket to form a housing for the sleeve andshaft and including a sectional bearing on the sleeve between thelaterally spaced portions of the bracket, one section of the bearingbeing a part of the shoe.

14. In a mowing machine, a mower shoe, a supporting bracket for theshoehaving laterally spaced portions, a drive shaft journalecl in saidlaterally spaced portions, and a detachable pivotal connection betweenthe shoe and bracket cooperating with the laterally spaced portions ofthe bracket to form a housing for the shaft and including a sectionalbearing on the shaft extending between the laterally spaced portions of20 the bracket, one section of the bearing being a part of the shoe.

15. In a mowing machine, a mower shoe, a supporting bracket forthe shoehaving laterally spaced portions, a drive shaft journalecl in saidlaterally spaced portions, and a sleeve on the shaft between thelaterally spaced portions and having two sections cooperating with thebracket to form a housing for the shaft, one section of said sleevebeing rigid with the shoe.

16. In a mowing machine, a mower shoe, a

supporting bracket for the shoe having laterally spaced portions, adrive shaft journaled in'sald laterally spaced portions, and adetachable pivotal connection between the shoe and bracket including asectional bearing on the shaft between the laterally spaced portions ofthe bracket, one section of said bearing being rigid with the shoe.

HOWARD W. SIMPSON.

